Gondwana, Hollard fight over N$640m claim

ELLANIE SMITWINDHOEKHollard Insurance wants client-specific evidence from Gondwana for an insurance claim of more than N$638 million for business lost during the coronavirus lockdown.Gondwana will file exception to the claim made by Hollard in which the insurance giant seeks client information on booking cancellations.According to court documents filed in the High Court, Gondwana intends to deliver its exception on or before 26 March this year.“In that case, if the plaintiff (Hollard) does not amend or withdraw its claim on or before 6 April the defendant (Gondwana) will deliver its heads of argument on the exception on or before 26 April.”According to the particulars of claim by Hollard, PresidentThere is a dispute between Gondwana and Hollard as to whether the proclamation of a state of emergency in March last year resulted from the coronavirus outbreak in Windhoek or from the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.Lost businessTwo days after the proclamation, Gondwana submitted a notification of a possible claim to Hollard.Gondwana indicated that the claim was from 14 March to an unknown date for business interruptions due to the coronavirus and business loss due to tourists not travelling and the travel ban in Namibia.It stated that the value of its claim at risk would cover the full amount of the declared revenue of N$683.67 million.Hollard wants Gondwana to provide the exact date on, and manner in which, each cancellation by a tourism or travel agent took place. It also wants the particular destination at which each tourist who cancelled would have stayed, the country of origin of each tourist who cancelled and a detailed list of those tourists who referred to the Namibian situation when they cancelled.Court orderGondwana said on Friday that it would face Hollard again in court on 31 March after Gondwana last week brought an urgent application over client confidentiality.Gondwana was successful last Wednesday in demanding that Vision Africa, which was commissioned by Hollard, immediately stop a survey that involves asking Gondwana's customers why they had cancelled bookings.Gondwana says it did not know about the survey.Gondwana accused Hollard and Vision Africa of using Gondwana guests' confidential personal information to conduct the survey.The urgent application was removed from the court roll after Hollard agreed to stop the survey.

Gondwana, Hollard fight over N$640m claim

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-16

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Gondwana, Hollard fight over N$640m claim

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-16

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